To John Adams from James Warren, 4 June 1781

From James Warren

Boston June 4th. 1781

My dear Sir

It is some Time since I wrote to you, and much longer since I have been honoured with a Line from you.1 I have but Just got to Town. Mr. George Storer who goes by the way of Denmark is on the point of sailing and I can only Inclose two papers received from Mr. Lovel, and the Boston Papers of the day.2 I shall write you soon and if you have not forgot that there is such a Man in the world perhaps you will again write to your Sincere Friend & Humbl. Servt. J Warren3

June 19th.

With all my diligence I could not get the above on Board the Ship. Another Opportunity now presents. The Navy Board send you the Boston Papers, and though wish to write you a long Letter it is out of my power. I have seen a Copy of a Letter from Dr. F. to C. which I am told has been forwarded to you.4 I hope you have received it. Will This Letter meet you in Paris, Holland or Vienna?

RC (Adams Papers).

1. Warren’s last letter to JA was of 19 Dec. 1780; JA’s last letter to Warren was of 9 Dec. 1780 (vol. 10:424–425, 404–406).

2. It was Charles Storer, not his younger brother George, who was sailing for Europe. A 1779 graduate of Harvard, Storer was a distant relation of AA and ultimately replaced John Thaxter as JA’s secretary. He did not arrive in the Netherlands until Aug. 1782. For more detailed accounts of Storer and his relations with the Adamses, see Adams Family Correspondence description begins Adams Family Correspondence, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1963– . description ends , 4:124; JQA, Diary description begins Diary of John Quincy Adams, ed. David Grayson Allen, Robert J. Taylor, and others, Cambridge, 1981– . description ends , 1:388. The material received from James Lovell and the Boston newspapers have not been identified.

3. JA did not write again until 17 June 1782 (MB). Warren’s next letter is dated 22 July 1782 (Adams Papers).

4. Presumably Franklin’s letter of 9 Aug. 1780 to the president of Congress, an extract from which Lovell enclosed with his letter of [ca. 15 March] to JA, above.

More between these correspondents

The National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC) is part of the National
Archives. Through its grants program, the NHPRC supports a wide range of activities to
preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, relating to the history of
the United States, and research and development projects to bring historical records to the
public.

Founders Online is an official website
of the U.S. government, administered by the
National Archives and Records Administration
through the NHPRC, in partnership with the
University of Virginia Press,
which is hosting this website.